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REPORT OP TH E V.'AR HIST ORY r/B.?iiRT ii'IElJT OP THE 
CALIPORia^ lilSrORIOAL SLRTOY COivMISSTOI'I 



Berkeley, California, 
January 15, 1921, 



.-p^-t 






DOCUMENTSD^V^S^ 



REPORT 0? THE W/.B HJ STORY PEPhRTMSNT, OF^l 
nALTFQRITiA HISTCR IC^I SURVEY CCIMIS SIOIj 



Thin in a "brief record of the War History Depart- 
ment, of the California Historical Stir-^ey CoLonission, itc 
creation, purpose, method of procedure, and principal ac- 
tivities. 

A report of the detailed achievements of the fifty- 
eicht Coimty War History Comraittces, which worked in con- 
junction with the State Department, cannot "be included. 
Some of these committees were orir-inally or-anized iDy the 
War History Committee of the State Council of Defense, 
while others received their authorization from the War His- 
tory Department, and all rendered p;encrous cooperation to 
that department. 
CRSATIOi: 0? WAR HISTOR X DEPAR^S^IT : 

The 1919 session of the California State Lefislature 
passed a bill v^hich became Chapter 430, laws of 1919, plac- 
ing the compilation of California's war records under the 
jurisdiction of the California Historical Survey Commission. 
This work had been previously conducted by the War History 
Committee of the State Council of Defense with additional 
later support, after the disbandment of that Council, by 
the State Board of Control and the State Historical Sur-ey 
Commission. In accordance with this legislation on Au-^ust >, 



2. 

1919, the office of the 'Jar Histor:/ Committee vras trans- 
ferred from Sacramento to l:er::eley where it was placed tinder 
the direction of the secretary of the War History Depart- 
ment of the Historical Survey Commission. 

The law passed Toy the State Ie::islature specified 
the fimctions assicned to the Historical Survey CommiGsion, 
and conducted "by the V7ar History Department, as follov/s; 

"To prepare ani compile ^or pul-'li- 
cation a record of Caliioi'nia's part in the 
.■^reat war betv/een th3 United States and the 
Central European Powers. It shall l^e the 
fiirther duty of the said coi^nisaion to pre- 
pare and conpile for pi^^lioation a tool: or 
boolcs in which shall appear a brief biogra- 
phy, together with a picture or lil:eness if 
obtainable, of each citizen of the State 'of 
California who serued in either the arr/.^r^ 
navy or marine corps of the United States of 
America at any tine during said war." 

PURPOSE CP THE \'!AR HISTORY DEP-ART^IEIIT: 



The purpose of the Uar History Department, as above 
specified by the state lecislature, has been to compile 
and prepare for publication the records of California's 
military and civilian activities in the v/ar. 

\7hen the new State Library building at Sacramento 
has been constructed it is expected that there will be set 
apart a room to be Iznovm as California's Hall of Fame. 
Here the war history records will be preserved in lasting 
commemoration of those Californians who had a part in the 
World War,- either at home in the civilian activities, or 
in the military or naval service of our country and its 
allies. 



3, 

It has "been the cnaea"or of the '/r.r History De- 
partment to cooperate with the coimt3'- committees in the 
collection of material for the state archives, and to 
assist the counties to prepare for preservation in the 
county archives and for possible county publication, du- 
plicate records of their war activities. 
liEETKOD OF PROCEDURE: 

In order to aid the County War History Commit- 
tees in the compilation of their war records a pamphlet 
was issued by the iVar History Department, containin;'^' su<7- 
o-estions as to the orp:anization of local conmiittees, pro- 
cedure after organization, collection of war service re- 
cords, preparation of records of home activities, preser- 
vation of ephemeral war history material, and a detailed 
outline for use in the compilation of the war records. 
This outline divided the war history into fourteen main 
divisions, as follows; 

1. Period Before America's Entrance in 

the War . 
E. Military, ITaval and Aviation Activities. 

3. Apriculture and the Food Supply. 

4. Industry and Labor. 

5. Commerce, Tl-ansportation and Communica- 

tion. 

6. War Finance and Revenue. 

7. Social, Welfare and Relief Agencies 

and work. 

8. Education. 

9. Relifion in the War. 

10. Professional Men and Women in V/ar Work. 

11. Woiiien in the War. 

12. War Legislation and Administration of 

Go~ernment . 

13. Public Opinion and the War. 

14. Post-War Period. 



4. 

A copy of this pami'hlet is attacheci hereto. 
(Exhibit Wo. 1, ) 

, Since the creation of the "fer Eistor-- Department 
all new appointments on the Coiinty \7ar History Committees 
have been made by Governor William D. Stephens. The ex- 
penses of the county committees have been borne by the 
County Boards of Supervisors, and in some cases by popu- 
lar subscription. In no case has it been possible for 
the V'/'ar History Department to finance the activities of 
the counts'- coranuttees. 

Bulletins and information circulars containin;'^ SU;';-^- 
p:estions relative to the prosecution of the work, have 
been issued frec^uently by the V/ar History Department to 
the county coraraittees. 
LIST OF CAIIF0RUIAIT3 XIEO DIED IIT SEHYJCS : 

The first piece of work of the War Kistor;' Depart- 
ment, was the completion of tJie list of Calif orni:-ns who 
died in service durinc^ the v;ar. This list, which wat "be- 
gun ■':;y the \7ar History Committee of the St? to Council of 
Defense, vi;as compiled chiefly from the daily report of the 
Coramandinpj General of the American Kcpeditionary Forces, as 
it was pu'-lishcd in the Official U. S. Bulletin, issued "^y 
the Committee on Pii^ lie Information at Washinprton, D. C. 
Also a list of names and addresses of the nearest relatives 
of those who died was prepared "^y the V/ar History Depart- 
ment; and these lists wore su'rmittcd to the Adjutant Gen- 
eral for use in the distribution, on Armistice Day, 1919, 



"by Governor William D. Stc;'acns, and the Director of the 
State Counoil of Defense, of the G-olclGn Scrolls to the fam- 
ilies of those r;ho made the suprcne sacrifice. Shortly af- 
ter Armistice Day, rhcn the Scrolls oop-an to 'ne returned for 
■!:ettcr addresses and corrections in the names of those v;ho 
died, it was discorered that many errors and ommissions had 
been made in the official list that emanated from 
Washin.j^ton. It thus became necessary to rc-check the list 
that had 'jccn coninlcd "by the War History Department. A 'ml- 
letin was immediately issued to the county committees askinf? 
their cooperation in securing- the correct list of nEn v,ho 
died, top;ethcr r;ith the date, place, and cause of death, and 
name and address of norrest rclatiTC. The county committees 
have r/orked painstakingly on this list, and from all Imt 
the most populous counties it has l-'ocn possi'-le to obtain 
the correct information. A preliminary list, containing 
3, 397 names, v/as issued through the press of the state for 
the purpose of detaining additions and corrections. The 
response from the pu'-'lic 'X-s most gratifying and it is nox; 
Irelic-.-cd that the list, containing approximately 4,000 
names, is as nearly correct and complete as it is possi^^o 
to obtain; ?Iov;erer the pu'olication of the final list of 
Californians who died in service has >een postponed until 
the final official list prepared ^y the Adjutant General of 
the Army, has ooen released, at \/hich time a further check 
should IjC made of the list of Californians who died, Lcfore 
the same is pu'olishcd. 



• INDIVIDUAL WAR S EPVigi: RSOORrS: 

One of the modt important features of the r;ar history 
v;ork has consisted of the collection of service records of 
our men and uoraen T7ho entered the military or naval service. 
The distribution and collection of the blanks provided for 
this purpose, have 'been conducted in the several counties 
"by the local war history committees, the local posts of the 
American Legion, the schools, libraries, lod?r>s, churches, 
women" s clubs, local exemption boards, and other orcaniza- 
tions and individuals. The local press has also rendered 
valuable cooperation to the '.Var History Department in this 
connection. 

On October 15th, 1919, an information circular was 
issued to the County War History Committees, rcguestinc; 
them to make special effort on Armistice Day^ November 11, 
1919, to obtain the service records. However, the results 
from some of the counties seemed not to be all that were 
desired, and af:ain on April 17, 1920, an information circu- 
lar was issued calling attention to the importance of the 
collection of service records. At that time it was suc- 
^ested that the cooperation of the American Le^rion be en- 
listed in this phase of the work. Still many county com- 
mittees encountered difficulty in obtaining: the desired re- 
sults, which seemed to be due in part to the form of ser- 
vice record blank which was e:sod. This blank was prepared 
by the State Corjicil of Defense before the termination of 



7. 
hostilities seenec liliely, r.ncl crlled for information of 
a more "biograpJiical licoure than it was possible to obtaiii^ 
A new blank was therefore prepared "h-j the War History De- 
partment, a copy of which is attached to this report. 
(Exhibit I!o. 2) 

The new style service record blank was later adopt- 
ed by the National Headquarters of the American Legion, for 
use all oyer the United States in obtaining the desired in- 
formation, when that organization assisted in the distri- 
bution of the Victory Medals. The Department of Califor- 
nia of the Araericnn Legion at its second anmial conven- 
tion at San Diego, .lugust 23 to 25, 1920, passed a reso- 
lution instructing the several :-)03ts of the legion through- 
out the State of California to a:^;si st in the collection of 
the service records. Supplies of the blanks were furnish- 
ed the tv;o hundred thirty-nine local Posts throughout the 
state, and it is now believed that, with the cooperation 
of the American Legion in addition to the wor]: of the coun- 
ty committees and other organizations, this phaze of the 
war history collection will be successfully completed. 
PUBL IGATIQII Qg C OUNTY V/AR HISTORI ES : 

Various county committees in compiling their war 
history material, expressed a desire to have the sar.e 
printed, and the War History Department was asked whether 
or not it was the intention of the state to publish the 
county histories. On January 12, 1920, an Information cir- 
cular was issued ''oy the War Historj^ Department, containing 



8. 
a STJggestion v/hicJa ha^' been made to tiiat department 
that a "bill be introduced into the 1921 session of the 
state legislature providing state cooperation v/ith the coun- 
ties in the cost of publishing their war histories, and re- 
questing the opinion of the several county committees re- 
garding the same, later in May of the same year, a bulletin 
v/as issued containing information regarding the plans for 
county publication, and an estimate of the probable total 
cost to the counties. The opinion r/as held by the War His- 
toTj Department that the publication of the war activities 
of each counter would be of tremendous interest in future 
years, since for state publication much that v;ould be of 
vital interest to the county cculd not be inclixded in the 
state resume of a particular county's war activities. 

Many of the counties favored the publication of their 
war records and have proceeded to compile the material with 
this end in view. Several counties have already obtained 
the consent of their Boards of Supervisors to the appropria- 
tion of funds for the county publication; while other coun- 
ty committees have not favored the proposal of county publi- 
cation if the state intends to publish a general history of 
California's war activities. 

REPORTS OF 'JAR -.VOPJC 0? STATE DEPARTI.IEgTS . BOARDS. AKD 
COmilSSICIIS : 

On March 30, 1920 a bulletin was issued by the \7ar 

History Department, to all state departments, boards, and 

commissions, requesting them to submit accurate and detailed 



9. 

accounts of their war activities including *ar rosters of 

their raeralDers and employees, This recuest received generous 

response, and the records and reports that were sulimitted 

will make a valuable addition to California's war history. 

LIST OF QALIF0RIIIAII3 V/HQ RTGEIVl]!' DECORATIOIIS FOR DISTmCrUISH - 
ED SERVICE ; 

The preparation of a list of Calif ornians who receiv- 
ed decorations or citations for distinguished service dur- 
ing the war, has "been another important feature of the work 
of the War History Department. The list ?/as compiled chief- 
ly from the files of the Official U. 3. Bulletin, and state- 
wide press clipping service. 

On July 36, 1920, a preliminary list containing the 
names of 907 Californians who were cited or decorated for 
hravery or other conspicuous service, was issued through the 
press of the state. The decorations consisted principally 
of the American Congressional Medal of Honor and Distinguish- 
ed Service Cross; the English Victoria Cross, Distinguished 
Service Order, and the Companion of St. Michael and St. 
George; the French Legion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre and 
Chevalier de I'ordre de la couronne ; and the Belgian and 
Italian V.'ar Crosses, Many names have heen added since the 
preliminary publication of the list, and it now contains ap- 
proximately 1200 names, which confirms the theory that Cali- 
fornia stands foremost among the states in the display of 
heroism and valor on the field of battle and in the civil- 
ian war activities. 



10. 
PUBLICITY ; 

The attention of the county war history- corani'. ^ kI- 
has "been directed frequently to the importance of o"btain- 
ing the cooperation of the pulDlic in collecting the war 
history material; the suggestion was made that thiough the 
medium of the local press, wide putjlicity he given to the 
work, in orde? that the citizens of the state might loiow 
what was desired of them "by the ivar history committees, and 
how they could respond to these desires. Press statements 
have "been issued from time to time "by the V/ar History De- 
partment, and the newspapers throughout the state have ac- 
corded gepierous space to the v/orl-: of that department and 
the county committees. The amouiit of cooperation received 
from the public through the use of publicity has entirely 
repayed the department for the small expenditure made in 
this connection. 
COOTTY WAR HISTORY C0LLEGTI0II3 : 

On November 16, 1920, a call v;as sent out to the 
county committees to submit at once to the 17ar History De- 
partment, one copy of all v/ar history material that had been 
collected or complied during the biennial period. The re- 
cords and reports began to come in imraediately, and are still 
being received at this time. 

PUBLICATION OF GOVERHOR \7ILTJA!"I 7). SIEPHEITS' W;^ ADD RESSE S. 
PROCLAM TIO KS. AHD PATRIOTIC ¥iESSAGE3 ; 

The final publication of the War History Department, 
ov/ing to the exhaustion of its funds, is a pamphlet contain- 
ing the War addresses, proclamations, and patriotic messages 



11. 

of Governor William D, Stephens. This collection of pa- 
pers which is nov in the hrnds of the printer, contaixiii 
valuable iiistorical material, in that the various docu- 
ments set forth not only the patriotic war service of Cal- 
ifornia's Governor, but as well, the sentiments and acti- 
vities of the people of California. 
IvII SCELLAI'IEOUS AC T I V I TIES : 

The Uar History Department has prepared for publi- 
cation in the 1919 Annual Report of the American Histori- 
cal Association, an article dealing with the historical 
activities in California fiiiring the years 1917, 1918, and 
1919; and a statement of the war history wor]: in Califor- 
nia during the years 1S18--1920, to be read before the an- 
nual meeting of the National Association of State War His- 
tory Organizations, in Washington D. C, on December 28, 
1920. 

The War Historj?' Department has received, classified, 
and indexed according to the vmr history outline contai'-^ed 
in the attached pamphlet, (Exhibit 1), approximately 100,000 
press clippings. 

The department has also prepared a topical index of 
articles contained in the Official U.S. Bulletin, which 
will be of use to the historian for reference purposes. 

A list of California authors, who have published ar- 
ticles or boo:cs dealing with any phase of the v/ar activities, 
has been compiled from the various cumulative indeces. 
This list is not complete at the present time. 



-1 o 



1!he s.ecretarj^ of the >7ar la story Department attended the co::i'cr- 
ence of state War Eistory Organ i set ions in '7ashington,D .0 . , in 3ep- 
temlDer, 1919, where .representing the State of California, she signed 
the Const itutoon of the National Association of State War History 
Organir^ations. 
PIIIAIICIAL oT/iTSTENTS : 

The funds for the use of the War History Department of the Cali- 
fornia Historical curves'- Commissi on were ava,ilaole under Section 2 

of Chapter -130, Laws of 1919: 

Sec.S. Out of any money in the state treasury 
not otherwise appropriated there is hereby appropriated 
the sum of five thousand dollars to oe expended hy the 
California Historical Survey Commission in carrying out 
the duties imposed upon it hy this act. 

The funds provided in this Section of the Act were exhausted in 
July, 1920, and a deficiency resolution was passed, allowing the crea- 
tion of a deficit not to exceed £pE,500 for the completion of the v.orlr, 





SALARIES 


TRA^/EL 


?OST. 


EXPRESS 


TEL & TEIaPRIlJT. 


PRESS a 


EIvIERG .# 


YH.1919 


i,;ll36.87 


^L13.50 


Ii5,00 


25.63 


37o22 


c *' • -i- * 


113.10 


323.19 


1920 


















Jan. 


203.00 


39.70 






.48 




7.56 


7.67 


Feh. 


283.00 


41.00 


3.00 


1«67 


5.94 


6„59 


3.30 


1.15 


Ivlarch 


289,00 




10.00 


1.83 


5e.80 


20.45 


2.74 


16.02 


April 


251.00 


18.10 


1— -IT 

OcXl 


2.98 


4.07 


2.02 


3.08 


2.00 


May 


287.00 


43.15 


6c0a 


1.62 


2.50 


5,15 


3.62 


8.25 


June 


325.00 


lOaSO 


10X0 


3,53 


6,08 


73.84 


1.70 


4.60 


July 


381.11 


39.95 


14.50 


.30 


3„37 


1.53 


1.58 


14.21 


Aug. 


377.25 




1.25 


3.0)8 


6.93 


9.75 


7.68 


5.50 


Sept. 


320.00 


45.01 


9.80 


.32 


1C-C5 


46.21 


2.56 


1'..00 


Oct. 


225.00 


,46 


2-.. 60 




4^S0 


5.25 


5.36 


3.50 


Nov. 


235.00 






5.78 


5.30 


389.17 


4.23 


6.39 


Dec. 


260.00 


68,65 


5. ,00 


7.64 


3.80 


500.00* 


2.05 


2.55 


U921 


















Jan.* 


125.00* 




15.00* 


10.00* 


10.00* 


10.00* 


4.00* 


10.00* 



T0TAL:4,703.24 721,93 117.27 64.38 105.84 1109.44 161,66 42)9.03 
*Estimated Espenditures. (.Bills covering a<;tual expenditures for 

these items have not yet heen received. 
#Items listed under the head Emergency coTer purchases of supplies & 

office equipment, including typevjriter rental. 

V/AR HISTORY DSPARTI.iEIIT. 
Genex^i eve A.mhro s e . 



